Benefits of Teaching Preschoolers a Foreign Language

At Little Pandas Preschool we believe that children should begin their
study of a foreign language as early as possible, preferably beginning in infancy. In addition to English, children
would benefit greatly by learning both Chinese and Spanish. We have chosen to focus on Chinese in our program
because it is a tonal language and easier to learn at a younger age. Children who master a foreign language find it
easier to acquire additional languages, therefore we believe that our students will be able to easily learn Spanish later
in their educational careers.

Foreign language study enhances brain development and promotes higher cognitive thinking
skills. Learning another language also helps to increase creativity, memory, and listening skills as well as promoting
divergent thinking. Studies have also shown that students who speak more than one language tend to do well in math,
reading, and writing and then score higher on standardized tests.

Mandarin Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world. You can give your child a
competitive edge by teaching him a foreign language during the preschool years and then continuing that study throughout
his academic career. When your child graduates from high school he will possess a tangible and marketable skill.

Foreign languages are easier to learn at an earlier age rather than later. Infants can learn a
second language in the same way and at the same time as they learn English without any formal teaching methods. Since
young children can learn more than one language at a time they have the potential to become fluent in several languages.
Children who begin studying languages in their preschool years have a better chance of obtaining a higher level of proficiency.

Every child enrolled at Little Pandas Preschool is given the opportunity to learn Mandarin
Chinese, the official language spoken in the People’s Republic of China. Since our Chinese teachers are native speakers and
come from either China or Taiwan our students are also exposed to Asian culture and values. This helps to promote cross
cultural understanding at an earlier age. We encourage families to consider enrolling in Woodstock Elementary School’s
full immersion Chinese program when their children are ready for kindergarten. Children who enroll in the Portland School
District’s Chinese program may study the language through high school.